Support for ironing machine rolls



SePt- 27,1932# J. H. s'KlTT SUPPORT FOR IRONING MACHINE ROLLS FnedJan.21,. 1930 4 sheets-sheet 1 l INVENToR. mf/d//fes 17. SA/z t Z;

' ATTORNEY.

Sept. 27, 1932. H, sKlT-r 1,879,556

SUPPORT OR IRQNING MACHINE ROLLS Filed Jan. 2l, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ni k f V E l m w s w www W Y .i n l l. vINVENTOR.

(/ames SZ ATTORNEY.

Sept. 27, 1932. J. H. sKlTT SUPPORT FOR IRONING MAQHINE RoLLs Filed Jan.21.11950 4 sheets-sheet 3 INVENTR. BY James A( Z A A TTORNEY.

Sept. 27, 1932. J'. H. sKlTT SUPPORT FOR IRQNING MACHINE ROLLS FiledJam. 21. 1930 4 sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. c//fyes S/fz'zzj BY @ik @meATTORNEY.

mm. N vul .g Nw wm Nw N. N /N Patented Sept. 27, `1932 trice JAMES H.SKITT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO SMITH, DRUM &;

COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, COBPORATION OF PENNSYL- VAN IASUPPORT Fon inoltrareV MACHINE ROLLS Application ined `January 21,`1930. serial No.A 422,297.1

The present invention relates to ironing machines and more particularlyto an improvement in roll support and roll pressure control.

Some of the objects of the present invention are to provide an improvedpressure controlled means for rolls of flat work ironers and the like;to provide a roll support wherein provision is made for holding theironing roll out of contact with the ironing bed; to provide a rollsupporting means wherein it becomes impossible forthe roll padding tobecome injured through contact withthe ironing bed; to lprovide a rollpressure control wherein successive increases of ironing pressureautomatically take place as the iron-` ing roll is moved away` from theheating bed Y by the thickness of material being ironed; to providemea-ns for successively subjecting goods being pressed to the weight ofan ironingroll and the weight of an ironing roll plus .Y

spring pressure; and to provide otherV improvements as will hereinafterappear.`

In the accompanying drawings' Fig. 1 represents aside elevation of anironing machine embodying one form ofthe present invention; Fig. 2represents an end elevation of the same partly broken away; Fig. 3represents an enlarged detail of an end of one of the ironing rolls andits pressure control shown in ironing position with the roll held out ofcontact with the steam chest; Fig. 4 represents the detail of Fig?) withthe parts in position to apply the weight ofthe roll to the goods beingpressed; Fig. 5 represents the detail of Fig. 3 with the parts inposition to apply spring pressure `to the roll and. Fig. 6 represents'adetail of an end of an ironing roll with a modified form of pressurecontrol.

Referring to the drawings'and more par-y ticularly to Fig. 1, an ironingmachine is illustrated generally of the type having side frames 10spaced apartto receive-,and support betweenthem a steam chest 11 and cojoperating ironing roll 12, which latter forms one of a number of suchrollsV since these machines are more generally constructed with aplurality of ironing rolls. Since the roll supporting mechanism andpressure control `.means of the invention is the same at opposite endsof the same roll, and is merely duplicated for each additional rollused, the present description will be conflned to one end of one rollfor the sake of brevity and clearness. Y j

In the present construction theend of the roll shaft 13 is journalled ina bearing block k14 which is mounted for vertical sliding movementwithin a guide slot 15 formed in the upper portion of a lift rail 16byrmeans` of which all of the ironing rolls can be moved simultaneouslyfrom Vone position to another. Inconnection'with the slot 15 it shouldbe noted that the bottom thereof is preferably provided with a stop 17which is arranged to limit theV downward travel ofthe journal lock 14and thereby definitely fix the lowermost position `of the roll withrespect to the steam chest 11.` As here shown the block 14 has adepending lug 18 which is arranged to seat upon the stop 17 when journalblock 14 reaches its lowermost position and preferably vthis lowermostposition is such as to prevent actualjcontact of the ironingroll withthe `face of theV steainchest 11.

As a means for lifting and Vmaintaining the ironing roll 12 out ofcontact withV` the steam chest 11,- a bolt 20is provided which isfastened at its lower'end to theblock 14 and Y extends vertically upwardto terminate in a threaded portion for the reception of a nut support, afollower 23 which is arranged to ride freely upon the Vbolt 20 and Vhasal seat 24 to receive the upper end of a coil springV `.25. The lowerend of thecoil spring 25rests ina circumferential seat 26 formed in asecond follower'27 also slidably mounted upon the bolt 20 buthaving adiameter greater than-the width of the slot 15-so that it can `rest uponthe rail 16 in certain positions of l such as toovercome the weight ofthe ironing roll 12 and hold it normally in close proximity to the steamchest '11, but actually out ofcon- Y Vtact therewith, so under. allconditions yof operation therel is no danger of the padding of the rollbecoming scorched through contact with the steam chest 11.

In order that the full weight of the roll 12 can be applied to the goodsduring the ironing operation and the spring suspension becomeineffective, the block14 is .provided on itsr movement of the rollbefore its full weight becomes effective upon the goods, and thisconstruction also facilitatesthe easy feeding of the goods under the.roll. When the roll has been lifted to bring the boss against thefollower 27 any'further movement up- Wardly ofthe roll will lift thefollower 27 from the rail 16V and thereupon the spring is renderedinoperative in so far as any spring lifting of the roll isV concerned.It will thus be evident that the full weight of the roll isautomatically brought into action at the exact time needed andsimultaneously spring lifting action ceases.

For the purpose of supplementing the pressure upon the goods due only tothe weight of the roll, a means is provided whereby theV spring 25 againcomes into operation but not as a lifting means but as a pressure means,the force of which is added to the weight of the roll 12. In the presentinstance the construction whereby this function is carried out consistsof a cap 31 supported upon the upper face of the follower 23 andenclosing the upper end of the bolt 20, though the height of the capy issuch as to leave a predetermined clearance space between the end of thebolt 20 and the inne-r face 32 of the cap 31. Outwardly projecting side`webs 33 are preferably formed upon the cap 31 to maintain it inpropercoaxial relation with respect to the bolt 20. A stud stop 34 isthreaded through the top of a closure 35 in coaxial relation withrespect to the cap 31 and carries a locking nut 36 by which the stud 34can be locked in any desired set position. Normally the set position ofthe stud 34 is one spaced from the top of the cap 31 and this clearanceallows for upward movement of the parts during the Ytime the weight ofthe roll only is applied to the goods and when the cap 31 reaches thepoint where it is desired to bring additional pressure to bear upon ther-oll 12, it contacts with the end of the stud 34 so that furthermovement thereof ,upwardly is prevented. Since the closure 35 isyfastened by studs4 37 to the rail 16, it will be seenthat, when the cap31 is prevented from further kupward movement by the stop 34, anyfurther upward I movement of the follower 27 will place Vthe e spring 25under compression and this supplemental pressure then be added to theweight of the roll to more effectively press the goods.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 6 the lifting spring 25 bearsagainst a double seated follower 38 the hub of which encircles the bolt2O and supports the sleeve 40, also about the bolt 20 and receives onits upper end the nut 21 by which the bolt 2O is held suspended. Themodification as so far described functions in precisely the manner ofthe spring lifting means of the first form o-f the invention, since thefollower 27 normally seats upon the frame rail 16 and hence becomes afixed abutment against which the spring 25 is compressed to act throughthe follower 38 and sleeve 40 to push the bolt 20 upwardly and therebyhold the ironing roll 12 out of Contact with the steam chest 11. As ameans for supplementing the weight of the roll 12 to give an increasedironing pressure when necessary, the upper side of the follower 38 formsa seat for the lower end of a second coil spring 41 which encircles thesleeve and bears at its upper end against a thrust follower 42 which isfree to slide upon the sleeve 38.

In order to regulate the pressure of the coil spring 41 the closure orhousing 35 has its upper end provided with threaded holes 43 to receiveadjusting screws 44 which project inside of'the housing 35 and in thepath of movement of the'thrust follower 42. These screws 44 are normallyset out of contact with the thrust follower 42 so as to leave aclearance space to allow a predetermined upward 'movement of the thrustfollower 42 before any compressive action is placed upon the coil spring41.

In the operation of this form of the invention the ironing roll 12. isheld spaced from the steam chest 11 a predetermined distance through theaction of the coil spring K25 acting upwardly against the follower 38 byreason of the fixed relation of the bottom follower 27. This upwardpressure of the spring is transmitted through the sleeve 40 tothe nut 21and so holds the bolt 2O suspended and the journal blocks 14 in theposi- Vtion required to give the desired spaced setting of the ironingroll. During the ironing operation the ironing roll 12 rises away fromthe steam chest and the journal blocks 14, through the medium of thebosses 30, lift the follower 27 and thereby utilize the action of thespring 25 and the entire weight of the A roll thus acts upon the goodsbeing pressed. A further lifting of the roll eventually brings thethrust follower 42 against the screws 44 and thereupon the upper spring41 comes under compression.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a novel spring pressurecontrol has been devised for the rolls of ironing machines and whereinsprings are pro-vided to normally maintain the roll out of contact withthe steam chest but which are automatically rendered ineffective whenthe roll reaches a predetermined lifted position. Again uponY the rollreaching another predetermined position the springs automatically becomeeffective again but thistime operating to increase the pressure of theroll instead of opposing such pressure. In the case of the modified formof the invention a second set of springs functions to supplement thepressureV upon the roll, though these springs are initially inactiveuntil the roll has reached a certain lifted position.

When it is desired to lift all of the rolls away from the steam chestthe side rails 16 can be raised through operation of the rods 45 by themotion of eccentrics 46 actuated by a shaft 47, gears 48, under controlof the hand wheel 50.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an ironing machine, thev combination of a steam chest, an ironingroll, means including springs for holding said roll out of contact withsaid chest, means to cause said springs to urge said roll toward thechest at a predetermined lifted position of the roll, and means to varythe position of operation of said last means.

2. In an ironing machine, the combination of a steam chest, an ironingroll, means including springs acting counter to the weight of said rollfor supporting said roll in predetermined relation with said steamchest, means to cause said springs to urge said roll toward the chest ata predetermined lifted position ofv the roll, and means to vary theposition of operation of said last means.

3. In an ironing machine the combination of side rails, an ironing rollslidably mounted thereon, rod members for suspending said roll, meansincluding springs for supporting said members, followers respectivelyseated upon said rails for taking the thrust of said springs, and meansmovable with said roll for lifting said followers from said rails,whereby in a predetermined position of said roll the action of saidsprings is neutralized.

4. In an ironing machine, the combination of side rails, an ironing rollslidably mounted thereon, rod members for suspending said roll,followers respectively seated upon said rails, Vsprings respectivelyseated upon said followers, a second set of followers respectivelyseated on said springs and supporting said rod members with said springsunder' compression, means movable with said ironing roll for liftingsaid first followers off of said rails to neutralize the action of saidsprings, and abutment means in the path of said second followers andoperative in a predetermined lifted position of said roll to transmitthe pressure of said springs in the opposite direction to the initialpressure of said springs.

5.l In an ironing machine the combination of a steam chest, 'an ironingroll, springs coacting with a fixed part to `support said roll spacedfrom said chest, and means moving with said roll and operative in apredetermined lifted position of said roll to lift saidsprings from saidfixed part, whereby said springs are rendered ineffective and the weightof said roll acts solely upon the goods being ironed.

n 6. In an ironing machine the combination of a steam chest, an ironingroll, springs coacting with aViXed part to supportsaid roll spaced fromsaid chest, means vmoving with said roll and operative in apredetermined lifted position of said roll to lift said springs fromsaid fixed part whereby said springs are rendered ineffective and theweight of said roll acts solely upon the goods ybeing ironed, and meansbrought into operation at another predetermined lifted position of saidroll to cause said springs to resist further upward movement and therebysupplement the weight of said roll.

, Signed at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania,this 13th day of January 1930. Y

JAMES H. SKITT.

